John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell was sentenced to 5 years in prison in December 2017 after he pleaded guilty to an April 2017 aggravated robbery charge. Bell attempted to rob a cell phone store, but his plan was foiled when the store employee walked out and locked Bell inside.

John Bell was sentenced to 5 years in prison in December 2017 after he pleaded guilty to an April 2017 aggravated robbery charge. Bell attempted to rob a cell phone store, but his plan was foiled when the store

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive. The employee can be seen here with her hand on her hip.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell

A quick-thinking and apparently fearless cell phone store employee foiled a would-be robber's plan and instead locked him inside the store as the robber pleaded for mercy.

The incident occurred April 17, 2017 at Latino Cellular at 6710 Hillcroft Ave. The would-be robber, John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 5 years in prison in December, according to Harris County court records.

When Bell entered the store, he told the employee to open the cash register. She told him no, and can be seen on the video hustling customers out of the store while Bell takes items from behind the counter.

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John Bell, 22, pleaded guilty in this April 17 cell phone robbery in December 2017. In surveillance video released Jan. 3, 2018, Bell can be seen pleading for mercy after a store employee escapes and locks Bell in the store until police arrive.

Media: Houston Police Robbery Division

The employee locked the door behind her, leaving Bell trapped inside. Once he noticed his predicament, Bell fired a gun at the lock on the door in an attempt to escape. He also tried kicking the door and taking a running start and crashing into the door.

He then spent several minutes wondering what to do, while the employee can be seen through the door's glass urging bystanders to get away from the door.